“It Shall Surely Not Come About”: Religious Speech, Pragmatic Ambiguity and Social Crisis during the 2005 Israeli Disengagement from Gaza

The phrase “it shall surely not come about” was repeatedly proclaimed by rabbis from the religious-nationalist camp to express their opposition to the government-sponsored disengagement plan to evacuate the Gush Katif settlements in the Gaza Strip. This phrase, which permeated the discourse among those opposing the plan, sparked controversy both during and after the plan’s implementation. While some viewed it as a divine promise or prophecy, others accused the rabbis of making false promises and misleading statements. This eventually resulted in a leadership crisis and a loss of faith among religious youth. To understand this dynamic, the study explores the practical and political-religious context of the phrase, the rabbis’ explanations after the fact and their interpretations of the pragmatic gap in understanding between them and their audience. We suggest that the ambiguity of this expression arises from its nature as a “religious speech act” and consider its broader implications for Israeli society, in particular with regard to how religious discourse can shape public perceptions, drive social movements and contribute to tension between various sectors of the population.